As a nation state, Italy has emerged only in 1871. Until then the country was politically divided into a large number of independant cities, provinces and islands. The currently available evidences point out to a dominant Etruscan, Greek and Roman cultural influence on today's Italians.

Has anyone heard of the name Tortora Brayda? My father's cousin in Naples told me in a letter that my great-great grandparent was "marchese di Tortora Brayda dei Duchi di San Donato". Can anyone help me learn what exactly this is? He wrote back and told me that "Tortora Brayda was nobiliar title of his clan." We are having some trouble writing back and forth because of translation difficulties.

TORTORA is the base name for all the variations, alterations, derivations of this surname which is listed in the Italian surname dictionary. The source for the TORTORA name is found thruout Italy with the heaviest concentration in Calabria and the Neopolitan province where the surnames are particularly TORTORIELLO and TURTURIELLO and TURTURA while in Emilia Romagna region TORTORA and TURTURENNA. The name and all the variations are symbolic of christian innocence and modesty. TORTORICI is Sicilian and concentrated in Messina ( no doubt a spill over).

The nobility portion must be researched in the Mormon FHL book Europe 945 D56s;computer number 85657. =Peter=

Thank you both for your help. Yes, I totally agree, there is alot of research to be done. During the last year or so I have poured over Old Calabrian historical book websites and am very interested in the Campolongo Barons that hailed from Normandy. This is the first time I have had any collaboration from my native Italian family in Naples that has any slight links to my research. My father's family came over from Naples in the early 1900's. My great great grandparent, I am told, was a lawyer "avvocato", Giuseppe Campolongo, his wife was Elvira Tucinelli. I've had not much luck with research on the Tucinelli surname. I sent a note to Italy asking if there are any Calabrian roots (rather than Naples only). I am waiting on the reply. It is all very fun and interesting. Mostly it is great because I've been able to get in touch with family in Italy that I didn't ever know before my genealogy efforts, whether I have titles of nobility in my line or not. Thanks for the links, I will look at all of them.

TORTORA Family has a crest. Very beautiful by the way. Will send site later. Very busy now meeting a deadline. It is the authentic, not made up by commercial outfits.

Do not trust sites not confirmed by proper authority. Everyboby can post all sort of crests.

Including using them without the authorization of The Consiglio dei Ministri and the President of Italy i.e. the final authority on the use of - crests of cities and comunes, as it were they own. There is an Italian law about their use.

Dear rg the surname BRERA is the base surname for Breda,Bredi,Braida,Braido,Braidi, Braidis and Bra. Brera is spread thruout Lombardy region while Braida extends to the Veneto region. The variant Braida from medieval times and longobard roots consisted of braida, bradia, brera,braia, brea spread from Verona, Genova, Milano, Mantova and Brescia in Northern Italy.

The spelling BRAYDA appears to be post medieval and not associated with the above base surname BRERA or its variants save for "Braida" which sounds similar to Brayda but this is speculation on my part. =Peter=

I was looking thru some stuff last night on my Grandparents name..this is just a bit of what I found..it was a good site..just put the letter of the name u want and hundreads come up with the meanings..

Marchese-from the medieval noble title "Marchese" =Marquis
I looked up the surmans in the family..

Well, it was just interesting to see that rg 1905 had mentioned Marchese. I know that it was used in France as well as Italy..no real reason, just interesting..my Grandfather was from an area near Naples..with the name Marchese..some times spelled as his is..

to what end since you seem to be well versed in your family Italianheraldry and if you in or near lala land there is the San Gennaro Feast for your pleasures (gastronomic and musical) coming up inthe next few days. =Peter=

Italians have not invented coffee, yet the passion they have for it makes the rest of world believe they discovered it. Around the end of the sixteen century, it was Venice where coffee was first introduced. Thanks to its trade relationship with the Eastern countries.Initially, coffee was considered...

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